


stargazing

by sunbee



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Bittersweet, Dreaming, F/M, Fluff, Quality Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:14:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunbee/pseuds/sunbee
Summary: percy and annabeth have a quiet night together outside. pre-hoo
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 11
Kudos: 121





	stargazing

The night sky is endless. Perhaps that is the best thing about Camp Half Blood, the way the gods allow for their children to gaze upon the heavens in its  constant , blinking eternity. The air is always peaceful, the cicadas hum in the distance but never get close. A few empty bottles of cream soda are haphazardly leaning against each other next to a tupperware filled with fruits: pineapples, strawberries, blueberries. 

Annabeth leans back on one of her hands, Percy’s head on her lap, and her fingers gently moving through the soft curls, pulling them into an undefined floof. It’s so comforting, it’s so soothing, as if Hypnos came and blew the softest southern breeze to lull Percy into a trance. 

Percy’s halfway asleep when he feels light fingers scratching at his jaw, dancing their way under to the soft, vulnerable skin there. He blinks his eyes open, slow and sleepy, and as his eyes focus and the moonlight registers and slowly starts to illuminate Annabeth’s face, a dopey smile blooms cheek to cheek. 

“Hi sleepy,” Annabeth whispers, voice teasing. 

“Hi,” Percy whispers back, his voice scratchy as he stretches out, raising his arms above Annabeth’s head and placing them on the back on her neck. He hums, rubbing small circles with his thumbs as he wakes up. “I wasn’t sleepin.’” 

“You weren’t listening.” Annabeth keeps her voice quiet and softer than normal, it still sounds rough and well-worn. Percy loves it, to the point where sometimes, he thinks it has more healing properties than the freshest nectar. 

“Was too,” Percy protests, “You were ... You were talkin’ about bears. And boots.” He pouts his lips and gazes up at Annabeth with remorseful eyes. “Will you tell me again? I promise I’ll listen.” 

Annabeth pretends to mull the decision over, but she’s already closing the distance between her and Percy, leaning down to give him a quick peck. Percy lets out a whine when she pulls away, opening his eyes again. 

But Annabeth is already leaning back down and against his lips murmurs, “I was just explaining one of the constellations.” She straightens up and points up to the stars, tracing invisible lines between the ancient lights. “There’s Ursa Major--” 

“The Bear,” Percy chimes in, letting his hands drop to rest on his stomach as he follows Annabeth’s finger diligently. 

“Yeah,” Annabeth’s smile is in her voice, “And then if you go just a little ways to the right, you see Bootes, the Bear Hunter. He’s also made up of the Big Dipper, which is right there.”

“What’s his deal?” 

“He hunts bears,” Annabeth replies, and Percy laughs. 

_ It must be hard to know everything _ , He thinks to himself. The thought takes his brain in five thousand directions, sprinting towards memories of Annabeth reciting ancient myths, to the Berenstain Bears, and then to the elusive everything. Everything: the grass and the monsters in the bushes, the future and the sheer state of love Percy exists in. 

“I want to run away with you,” Percy whispers, laughter suddenly gone, serious in his murmurings. 

It catches Annabeth off guard, she pauses and looks down at Percy, frowning slightly. Her brow furrows as she tries to process every outcome of the situation. 

Percy presses on. “I- I don’t want to stay here. I love Camp, I do, but I just have this ... Sinking feeling if we don’t leave soon ... Gods, Annabeth, I can’t explain it, I just don’t want to be subject to  _ this _ .” He waves one of his hands around in the general vicinity. “I just think about how if we were far away from this, it will just go away.” 

“Oh, Percy,” Annabeth says, cupping his face. She pauses, as if trying to figure out where to go, her eyes scanning Percy’s as if she can read his mind. “I’m much too hard to get rid of now. You’re stuck with me.” 

And Percy can’t help the big grin that erupts on his face. “Cool, cool, cool, how do you feel about Maine? It’s really remote, it’s on the water, we can get a boat and go get lobster rolls--” 

“How long have you been thinking about this, Perce?” Annabeth asks, a fond smile on her face. 

Percy lets out a soft, blissful sigh as he’s pulled from his brief daydream. “I saw some pictures in a National Geographic magazine at home. It looked so peaceful, Annabeth. I mean, we've been through  _ so much _ , we deserve to have, shit, I don’t know, our own blueberry bushes? You could design a home for us, too. Whatever you want.” Percy’s sat up now, his excitement forcing him to look his girlfriend straight in the eyes. “It would be a dream, no more gods, no more quests, just us and, and, I’ll get some shitty job at a grocery store--” 

Annabeth places a finger to Percy’s lips, silencing him. Her eyes are somber, sad and wistful. “We can’t escape the gods, Percy. We can’t escape what’s part of us. Why are you in such a rush to run away, baby?” Her hand moves instead to cup his jaw, rubbing the stubble that’s trying to force its way through Percy’s smooth skin. 

“You aren’t saying no, are you?” 

“Of course not.” 

Percy nods, and leans into her touch. He can feel his chest rolling, he can feel the insecurities bubbling up inside of him. “I dunno, I just ... I have a gut feeling. I feel like I should listen to it.” 

Annabeth swallows. Percy can’t tell what she swallows, if it’s fear or pride or something deeper, something more unreadable. But her face opens, it softens and trust emanates from her eyes, and Annabeth nods. “Okay, so where do you find for us?” 

Percy gives Annabeth a toothy smile. “Do you know about the Sheepscot River?” 

“I have a feeling I’m about to learn,” Annabeth says, leaning forward to kiss Percy’s cheek. At the last second, he moves his head to instead kiss her on the lips, and she tastes like strawberries and vaseline, she tastes like home. 

“First, you have to give me some of your chapstick,” Percy says when he pulls away, grabbing a blueberry and feeding it mindlessly to Annabeth. “Are my lips chapped? They feel chapped.” 

Annabeth laughs, light and full of life, shifting around to try and access the front pocket of her jeans, pulling out a little tin and handing it to her boyfriend. “They’re a little chapped.” 

Percy closes his eyes and opens his mouth slightly, and cracks an eye open when he feels the tin get placed into his palm. “You aren’t gonna do it for me? Damn, Annabeth. Thought you loved me or somethin!” 

“Put your chapstick on, and tell me about the Sheepscot.” 

With a happy grin, Percy applies the chapstick with his ring finger, getting a little bit too much and rubbing it into his peeling cuticle on his thumb. “So, the Sheepscot. It’s known for having boats get sunk in it...” 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading !!! don't forget to leave a kudos and tell me about your favorite part !!!


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